What You Will Do For Family
by staceycj
Summary: AU: Sam and Jessica are married and have a child, Dean gives up something very precious in order for his 5 year old niece to survive. In the same line as Jan 24 and Christmas with the Moore's.
1. Chapter 1

Hospitals had never been Dean's most favorite place in the whole entire world. His dad had died in a hospital, trying to save his life, and Sam had made more trips to hospital than he could count, and that wasn't to mention all of the times that he had been in the hospital severely injured or close to death. But this time, sitting in this sterile hospital, the waiting was almost killing him. His brother sat to the side of him, knee bobbing up and down in a frantic rhythm while he held is wife, Jessica, tightly to his side, and every once and a while a stray tear would come down her cheek, but for the most part she kept that locked inside, and allowed whatever comfort his brother was able to provide flow thorough her body and keep her strong.

They called him an hour ago, told him that their daughter, his niece, had fallen and hit her head on the concrete that framed the in ground pool and fallen into the water. Jessica saw it from the kitchen window, and rushed out and got her out of the water, but the damage had been done. Little Samara was in the hospital, she was unconscious when the paramedics got there, that was all Sam said. Now, they were waiting for a doctor to come out and tell them what was going to happen.

"Dr. and Mr. Winchester?" A man asked as he came out of the emergency room doors. Jessica stood up quickly.

"Yes, that's us." She said and wiped her wet hands on her jeans. Sam stood beside her and ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to provide comfort. Dean stood up as well, didn't get into their circle. The family was close, but he didn't belong right there with his brother and sister-in-law.

"Samara, has suffered brain trauma. We won't know how bad it is until the swelling goes down."

"How bad it is?" Sam questioned.

"He's talking brain damage."

"Brain damage? No, there has to be some sort of mistake."

"Mr. Winchester, right now that is an option, she may not even wake up." Dean's back stiffened.

"That can't be right." Dean mumbled. "Samara is a healthy five year old." Dean mumbled and stepped back.

"Only time will tell. The next 24 hours will be the most crucial, but you know that Dr, Winchester." Jessica's head bobbed up and down in agreement, she knew, she'd been through medical school, she was a doctor, she had her own practice, of course she knew what this meant. It meant, more than likely, her daughter would either have brain damage or die. And right at that second she wished that she didn't know, wished that she could be like any other mother and be able to hope that this wouldn't happen.

"Jess?" Sam asked as the doctor disappeared, telling them that they could go see their daughter.

"It doesn't' look good Sam."

"You are just going to give up on her?" Jessica didn't respond. "Jessica?" He demanded.

"No. I'm not giving up on her Sam. I just know how I works. I know the odds. They aren't good sweetie." She said and touched Sam's face. Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm not going to give up hope. My little girl will get up and leave this god forsaken place. She's a Winchester, she's strong." Sam walked away down the hall, presumably to his daughter's room. Jessica turned and looked at Dean, her face a mask of pain, and tears flowing down her beautiful skin.

"I don't know what to do Dean."

"The doctor said she might be okay."

"It's a small chance Dean. Small chance. If she doesn't wake up in the next 24 hours it might be permanent. I can't live with my baby gone."

"Miracles do happen." Dean said and moved in to hug her. Jessica gave a harsh laugh.

"You of all people Dean Winchester know better than to believe in miracles." She was right, yet he still wasn't willing to give up that hope.

***

Hours drug by, no word, no change, Sam and Jessica in her room every second, and Dean in the waiting room wishing that there was something he could do, wishing that there was some way he could help his niece.

When she was born into their world five years ago, it was like God was finally giving the Winchesters something rather than taking it away. She was beautiful, smart, and so funny. She looked like Jessica and had Sam's eyes. Dean didn't see any of himself in the child, just saw the ones he loved. The truly wonderful thing about Samara was that she loved Dean just as much as he loved her.

He came back to Sam and Jessica's now in between hunts, when he needed time to recuperate, to just take a break. And the last year or two, Samara would stand at the door and the moment she heard the Impala she would run outside and jump up and down until he got out of the car and scooped her up. He loved hugging on his niece, loved having her sit in his lap at dinner time, loved listening to her babble on and on and on about whatever was going on, or whatever she thought was going on. The thought of her not being there anymore weighed heavily on his heart. He prayed. He hoped. He waited.

***

Sam came out to the waiting room, beard half grown in, and eyes tired, and sat down next to his brother.

"you been out here all this time?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Wanted to be here if you had any news."

"She's not going to make it." Dean's stomach sank.

"What?"

"I know she's not going to make it. It's been almost two days and the swelling has gotten worse, they are going to go in and try to fix it, but it'll just fill back up. Her brain is dying Dean. Even if we do save her life, she won't be Samara. She'll just be the shell of my child. What do we do? You're my big brother. Tell me what to do."

"Wait and hope." Dean said softly. Sam slumped down farther, making his 6'4 frame look smaller and more fragile. Dean began wracking his brain, if the doctors couldn't do anything productive and save his niece. By God he would.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was in his car a short time later, flying down the highway. He was headed to Bobby's. He had to discuss this with him. Had to tell him his plan, because someone had to know what happened to him. Someone had to be there to tell Sammy that his daughter was healthy and that was what he needed to worry about.

He pulled into the Salvage yard and Bobby was standing at the door. "Sam said you were headed here."

"Yeah. I need to talk to you." Dean said as he slammed the door of the car.

"Well, don't leave an old man in suspense, come on in, tell me." Dean came in and took the obligatory sip of holy water for Bobby's sake and then they went into the study, and Bobby sat and waited for Dean to spill.

"They did surgery last night." He said as he paced. "They drained what they could off of her brain, they put a shunt in." He stopped and ran a hand down his face. "Not really sure what that does other than drain what's in her head and put it in her belly. Jessica understood it, hell, Sam understood it more than I do." He stopped pacing and looked at Bobby.

"I'm going to do it."

"What?"

"I'm going to say it. Going to let him have me."

"Dean…."

"For a price. He can have me as long as Samara is okay. That's the deal. Once he does that, lets me see that she's okay, then I will let him take me, and I will do what he wants me to do."

"Dean, you could die…."

"I know."

"But Adam…"

"Said yes a long time ago, and he's out there causing this death and destruction that both of us, and every hunter out there, has been trying to stop."

"Dean…"

"It's all my fault anyway Bobby. If Dad hadn't made the deal, if he hadn't gone to hell, opened that first seal……then…..Adam wouldn't have said yes, and I wouldn't be sitting here even contemplating saying yes to those sons of bitches. But they can help her. They can make her healthy and normal, she deserves that."

"But what about Sam?"

Dean gave Bobby confused eyes. "What about Sam? He and Jessica will have their baby girl back safe and sound. I'm doing this for him. I want Sam happy."

"But what do you think he's going to say when you go missing?"

"I go missing for weeks at a time anyway."

"That's not true Dean and you know it. You talk to Sam and Jessica every single day. They would notice if you went missing."

"That's why I'm telling you. You can tell Sam that I'm fine, that I'm in it deep and I can't risk him knowing where I am."

"But what if you die boy."

"Then, you tell him I died, that's what happens. I can't let Samara die Bobby, I can't. I can't let…" Tears started to stream down Dean's face. "She's the closest I'm ever going to get to being a dad. She's as much my world as she is Sam's. I can't let her die."

"But giving up your life?"

"Dad did it for me. Mom did it for all of us. Sacrifice is a part of loving someone. I'm going to do it Bobby, I have to do it. For her."

Dean looked up at the ceiling and yelled. "You hear that you son of a bitch! I'm going to say yes! Get your ass down here so we can discuss my terms."

"Now Dean, terms?" A tall man stood in the study suddenly and they all knew who it was.

"Yes, Michael. Terms. You want to use me as your personal meat suit, you have to save my niece, and I want to be able to see her and Sam and Jessica one last time before you destroy me."

"I don't intend to lose this fight Dean."

"Yeah, well, whatever. You agree to my terms?"

"I do that, and you will say yes?" Dean nodded and swallowed. "Say it out loud."

"Yes."


	3. Chapter 3

Dean allowed Michael to finger touch him to the hospital, right after he instructed Bobby to take care of his baby, and they marched straight to Samara's room. Sam and Jessica were in her room brushing her hair out of her face, talking to her, trying to comfort the child.

Dean knocked on the door and both distraught parents looked up. "I, uh, brought a faith healer."

"Faith healer?" Sam said.

"Yeah."

"But you don't believe in that stuff."

"You do. So, I, uh, thought it couldn't hurt to try." Sam looked at the man behind his brother.

"You think you can heal her?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm certain I can." Sam looked at Jessica and she gave him hopeful eyes for the first time since they had entered this blasted hospital.

"Okay, okay then. But, what is the cost?"

"Cost?"

"Yeah, do I owe you my soul or something?"

"No, there will be no cost to your family."

"Okay, okay." Sam stood up and waited as the man moved closer to his child, and he leaned over, recited some Latin and touched the child's forehead.

"It will take a while for the child to be healed. I will return to check on her progress." And with that the man exited the room, before Sam could say thank you.

"You think it will work Dean?"

"I do. The guy has a reputation."

"What's his name?"

"Michael." Dean breathed trying not to sound nervous.

"I've never heard of him."

"You've been out of the game for a while Sammy. It's not a surprise."

"Good things though?"

"Awesome things Sammy. I believe, no, I have faith that she will be okay."

"From your mouth to God's ears." Jessica said and took hold of her daughter's hand again, and the two of them continued their vigil over their little girl. Dean came in and out of the room and watched over her, and little by little Samara got better, her vitals were better, nurses and doctors came in and out more frequently, checking the equipment and taking her vitals by hand just to make sure the read outs were accurate.

Then finally, her big hazel eyes opened and she looked from Sam to Jessica, "Where am I?" she asked softly. Dean felt his whole body sag in relief. Jessica and Sam hugged and kissed their baby girl.

"You are in the hospital sweetie, everything is going to be okay now. You hit your head. You're going to be just fine." Jessica said and kissed the top of her head.

Dean stepped out from the shadows and sat knelt down next to the bed. "Hey there kid."

"uncle Dean!" she said with enthusiasm. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I'm so glad you're all better now. You scared all of us."

"Sorry." All three adults smiled. Dean reached over and pushed hair out of her face, and kissed her.

"I've got to go baby doll. I've got work to do."

"You're leaving?" Sam said. Dean turned to his little brother.

"I have to. There's a job…"

"You're leaving your niece now?! Can't someone else take the job?"

"No. No. No one else can take the job Sammy. I wish they could."

"How dare you?"

"Sam? Please. Let's not argue. I have to do this. Samara is fine."

"When are you coming back?" Dean held the tears back and he was proud of himself.

"I don't know Sam. I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned to the two women in the family and smiled. "I'll see you all later."

"Bring me back a post card!" Samara yelled. Dean turned and smiled.

"Sure thing Sweetheart. Sure thing. I always do." Samara smiled, the smile that Dean feared he would never see again and he waved to her and left the hospital room.

Michael was standing there waiting for him. "Can I give instructions to Bobby?"

"No. Write them down if it is that important." Dean nodded, went to the nurses station, got a piece of paper and a pen and wrote the instructions on a sheet of paper and put them in his pocket.

"Okay. I assume we aren't going to do this in such a public place." Michael nodded and the two headed out of the hospital and into the alley next to it.

"Do you consent to being my vessel?"

"Yes. And thank you for saving my niece." Michael gave a quizzical look and then entered the body of Dean Winchester.


	4. Chapter 4

The small Winchester family went home soon after. It took a couple of days for the doctors to allow the child to go home, they couldn't accept that a miracle saved the child and not their advanced medical science.

Sam called Dean repeatedly, trying to find him and get him to come back home, to come back and see his niece who was constantly asking for him, to get him to put down his weapons just this time, so he could be part of the celebration of his little girl's life. However, all he managed to get was his brother's voice mail. Dean never picked up. The longer that Dean went without calling the more and more worried Sam became.

"I'm worried Jess. It isn't like Dean to not call."

"Maybe he's knee deep in monsters."

"If he's knee deep then he might be in trouble Jess."

"Sam, you've said it yourself a hundred times, Dean knows what he is doing out t here, he's been fighting evil longer than anyone else we know."

"I know. I know." He sighed and went to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, popped the top, and rested himself against the kitchen counter. "But something just feels wrong this time."

"Sam. He's probably okay."

"But the way he left…right after Samara was healed…"

"He stayed day and night Sam. He brought us a healer, he gave us our girl back. Maybe he just has things he needs to take care of."

"But, that's just it Jess. A healer. All supernatural healings ask for some sort of repayment. And those repayments are never ever good." Sam's face went slack with a realization. "Oh, my God. What if he sold his soul?"

"Pardon?"

"Demons, sometimes they will heal people in exchange for their souls."

"So, what? Dean sells his soul, Samara is fine, and then what happens to Dean?"

"He goes to hell." Jessica paused in her food preparation and turned to her husband.

"What?"

"If Dean sold his soul, then he would go to hell, forever."

"He wouldn't do that. Your brother wouldn't do that." Jessica said quickly, dismissing the heinous idea from her mind.

"He might."

"No. No. Come on Sam. He knows better than to do something like that."

"Knowing better and then watching someone you love die, well, those two things…..don't necessarily always agree with one another."

"You really think he'd do it?"

"He doesn't like losing his family."

"No one does Sam."

"But he has know how that most people don't."

"Maybe you should call Bobby. He'll know."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Sam said and pulled his cell from it's sheath on his belt. He hit speed dial and the gruff hunter answered it on the first ring.

"Sam?"

"Bobby?" he asked at the tone of Bobby's voice.

"Wondered how long it would take you to call."

"What do you mean?"

"Dean."

"he isn't answering my calls."

"No. I wouldn't imagine he is."

"Is he dead?" Sam asked quickly, always preferring the band aid to be ripped off quickly rather than in small increments.

"Not exactly." Sam's heart sank.

"How hurt is he?" Jessica turned to Sam. Her eyes wide with fear.

"I don't know Sam." Bobby took a deep breath. "I'm going to head out your way if that is okay. We need to talk about some things."

"Bobby…."

"I'll see you tomorrow boy." And the phone went dead. Sam felt light headed and he grabbed onto the counter for support. Jessica dropped the knife she had been using and went to her husband and put her hand on his chest.

"What did he say baby?"

"Dean's hurt."

"What do you mean hurt?"

"I don't know. Bobby is coming here tomorrow to talk to me about it. Oh God Jessica. What…what if he sold his soul?"


	5. Chapter 5

Sam and Jessica hardly ate their supper and distraction was the word of the day when the Winchester family sat down to dinner that night. Samara provided an endless stream of chatter that kept the room from being silent except for the scraping of forks against plates. Both Sam and Jessica were thinking of the other member of the small family who was out there, possibly dead, possibly in hell suffering so their little girl could be up and around healthy and alive.

Both were so distracted they didn't hear Bobby's car pull up into their long driveway. Samara, however, heard it and knew the sound almost as well as she knew the growl of Dean's beloved Impala.

"Grandpa Bobby is here!" She squealed, threw open the door, and ran outside to greet the grizzled old hunter. He picked her up, hugged her tight and put her back down and she reached and held his hand. "Is Uncle Dean at your house?"

"No sweetie, your uncle isn't at my house."

"Where is he?"

Bobby swallowed. "He's at work baby girl." Bobby said with more tension than he intended. And if Samara knew that he was worried or tense, she didn't show it. She simply scrunched her face like she had done thousands of times and said:

"Oh. I don't like it when he has to work."

"None of us do youngin', none of us do." After a brief pout, she drug him inside the house and showed him all of her drawings, her school work, and the ribbon she won for an event at school, all of the while Sam and Jessica looked pained and scared, they wanted the information and knew that they couldn't broach the subject with Bobby until Samara was in bed. The hours seemed to drag at an infinitesimal rate, and the finally the clock turned 8 and Jessica got Samara ready for bed, and then snuggled inside her covers.

Jessica came back down holding her middle, sat down next to Sam, grabbed his hand, and looked at Bobby expectantly.

"Did he sell his soul for my baby girl Bobby?" Jessica asked bluntly.

"No. He didn't." Both visibly relaxed.

"Then where is he Bobby?"

"I wish I knew Sam. But I don't."

"But I thought you said you knew…"

"I have information. That I do have. Your brother's body is up and going…"

"Then if his body is up and going then…wait….he didn't die and become a zombie or a revenant or there isn't a demon inside of him is there? We need to find him. A demon riding around in his skin will kill him." Sam stood and started for the kitchen where he hid his gun.

"Demon?" Jessica asked and stood and followed Sam with her eyes.

"No. No. Sam. Come back here. Your brother isn't being rode by a demon. He isn't' a zombie, he isn't a revenant." Sam came back into the living room, holding his favorite gun.

"Then how? What's going on Bobby?" Bobby sighed pushed his ball cap up and rubbed his forehead. "Come on Bobby, just spit it out." Sam demanded, looking for all the world like the scared 4 year old Bobby had met all of those years ago.

"An angel is all up in him."

"Come again?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"An angel. An archangel actually."

"There is no such thing."

"There is. Boy is there. They aren't exactly folks you want to mess with either."

"You've met them?" Sam asked.

"One or two. Turns out your family is kinda important to the man upstairs. Turns out you guys are part of the Cain and Abel bloodline."

"What in the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"That means that the two of you are capable of housing the archangels Michael and Lucifer."

"Come again?"

Bobby sighed, took off his hat and wiped his brow. "This is a very long story Sam."

"I have all night." He said. Jessica stood up.

"I'll put on a pot of coffee." Bobby began weaving the story of how the apocalypse was in full swing and how Dean had done his best to prevent it and now was doing his best to fix it and then it came down to the fact that Dean would do anything for family, even allowing himself to be destroyed by an archangel.

"What do you mean destroyed?" Sam asked scared.

"It's like an accelerated demon possession. Once they get up in ya, odds are pretty good you won't make it."

"This angel has already been in Dean for what? Three four days now?"

"Yeah. Somethin' like that."

"And why aren't you out there doing something?! Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"

"Because Dean wrote me a note and made me promise. Said that this needed done, it was the price tag for your daughter and that it was worth every cent."

"Sam. Calm down." Jessica said trying to calm her own thumping heart. She ran a hand up and down Sam's impressive arm. "We just need a plan. We need to figure out where to start." She licked her lips and finally turned her blue eyes to Bobby's. "If Dean agreed to allow Michael to enter him, then who is Lucifer supposed to inhabit?"

"Sam." Bobby said sadly. Hazel eyes went wide and panic set in.

"No! No way!"

"Sam. Sam. Calm down sweetie. Bobby, that can't be right. No. That' can't work like that. Sam isn't evil. Sam is a good man, a kind and gentle man. No way in hell a bastard like Lucifer could inhabit someone like him." Jessica said fiercely.

"It has nothing to do with who he is, it is about his blood. And his blood has the ability to house Lucifer. But, one of the many many reasons that Dean apparently said yes to Michael is because he wants Sam to be able to stay out of this mess." Bobby sighed and resisted the urge to put his head in between his knees. He really didn't want to be the one to deliver this message to Sam, and he wanted to curse Dean for not sharing this information with his little brother the moment he found out, but what was done was done, and he was the one responsible for passing along the information like it or not.

"You and Dean have a little brother. A half brother." If Sam hadn't been a trained and seasoned hunter, if he hadn't been the son of John Winchester, if he hadn't been raised into this life he would have fallen apart. He would have kicked screamed and raised hell, but since he was John's son, and raised in the life, his face grew dark and angry.

"A brother?"

"Yeah, his name is Adam. He said yes to Lucifer a couple of weeks ago because, Dean thinks, that Lucifer promised that his mom wouldn't die of whatever her issue was. Dean wasn't exactly forthcoming about the details. You know your brother."

"What exactly do these angels want with either of my family?"

"They want to have a show down. They want blood."

"And what happens if Dean loses?"

"Hell on Earth, and his death."

"And if he wins?"

"Far as I know, world is saved and Dean probably doesn't' make it."

"That's unacceptable."

"Sam…sweetie." But it was too late, Sam up and heading into the laundry room. Jessica went after him and found him digging out his ole army style duffel. "Sam, you can't."

"I have to Jess."

"But you have a family…"

"And I have a brother that saved my family and is going to die because of it. That's unacceptable Jessica."

Jessica knew defeat when it presented itself. She sighed, tension still thrumming through her taught muscles and she looked up at her husband. "What do I tell Samara?"

"Tell her I have to go help Uncle Dean with his job. That I'll be back as soon as I can."

"And your practice?"

"Same thing. Tell them I'm taking my vacation days." Jessica closed her eyes licked her lips and nodded. He tipped her head up by her chin and looked her in the eye. "I love you." And he kissed her softly on the lips.

He was in the living room issuing orders to his wife and surrogate father like a seasoned veteran, and without looking back left the two with his daughter alone, and he was now on the hunt for an angel wearing his brother's face.


End file.
